Chunky Sidekick-Sized MIU HDPC Is a Pocket Computer

Who cares if the Macbook Air is the world's thinnest laptop? While the MIU HDPC might look like a bit of a porker, it has to be one of the most powerful devices given its relatively small proportions. It's almost pocketable at 6.4 x 2.6 x 0.96 inches, but it seems to offer a lot more than what many smartphones and PocketPC devices are able to offer.

For starters, the MIU HDPC comes equipped with a reasonably large 4-inch touchscreen display, in addition to the smaller screen on the outer shell. Processing comes via the 1GHz Via C7M ULV CPU and it gets backed by up to 4GB of DDR2 memory, Windows XP and/or Linux Qplus embedded OS, and a pair of USB ports. You get a choice of either a 60GB hard drive (wow) or a 4GB solid state drive, either of which can be expanded via the miniSD/microSD card slot. Rounding out the specs are a 5.0 megapixel camera, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0.

Better still, the battery life sounds pretty impressive. Even at "high power", the MIU HDPC keeps trucking for seven hours at a time. Dial it down to low power settings and you can enjoy up to 90 hours of mobile computing. The MIU HDPC is priced at $500.

Verizon Wireless Flips Out with Motorola VU30

Could it be that Motorola is finally giving up on the four capital letter naming scheme for their phones? What you see here is the upcoming Motorola VU30, a flip phone destined for arrival at Verizon Wireless this summer. From what I can gather, the Motorola clamshell will take on a roundish form factor not unlike the PEBL.

Details are pretty slim at this point, so we can't really say what sort of features this phone will have. Even so, I'm thinking that it's going to be an entry-level handset with a spec sheet and price tag to match. This probably means that it will get things like a low-resolution camera and maybe, if you're lucky, a multimedia player too.

The round buttons are a bit of a departure from what Motorola usually does with their phones, but I still don't think they're quite there yet when it comes to revitalizing the mobile division. Oh, and when this phone arrives at Verizon, it probably won't be called the VU30 anymore, seeing how Verizon likes names like Venus and Voyager

BlackBerry 8820 with GPS and Wi-Fi Confirmed by T-Mobile

Here's some good news for all the T-Mobile subscribers in the audience, because the pink-themed mobile operator has confirmed that it will indeed be getting the BlackBerry 8820. As you recall, this is the lovely QWERTY-packing device that comes equipped with both Wi-Fi and GPS.

The good thing about having Wi-Fi built into this latest version of the BlackBerry Curve is the fact that it can then take advantage of T-Mobile's Hotspot@Home service, helping you reduce the minutes racked up on the cellular network. The GPS side of things is taken care of with the preloaded TeleNav navigation software. The major feature missing from this handset is a camera, no doubt because of demands from enterprise users.

The BlackBerry 8820 will sell through T-Mobile for a price of $350, assuming you're willing to lock 'er down for a two-year contract.

Jabra's Mono A2DP Bluetooth Headset is Exercise in Futility

You could say that Jabra knows a thing or two about Bluetooth headsets, but this has got to be an industry first. When most people consider listening to music on their cell phones, they'd love the opportunity to cut the cords and listen through a set of wireless headphones. In order for this to work, you'll need Bluetooth A2DP.

Up until now, most (if not all) stereo A2DP Bluetooth headsets provide sound to both of your ears, but the Jabra BT8040 is a mono wonder. In this way, it looks more like a conventional Bluetooth headset, but you are perfectly capable of bobbing one side of your head to "What is Love"... baby, don't hurt me.

Yeah, pretty weird eh? The reasonably small mono Bluetooth headset is actually stereo A2DP compliant, even though it only sends sound through one ear. I wonder if you can pair two of them to get a pseudo-stereo effect.

Video Review: HTC Shift X9000 with CDMA

It's not really a laptop, but it's not really a smartphone either. The HTC Shift X9000 fits somewhere in between and it can now hop onto Sprint's high-speed EVDO network for Internet connectivity anywhere you go. At $1500 through Amazon, the America-friendly version of the Shift is far from being the cheapest option on the block.

Laptop Mag had the opportunity to take the QWERTY-packing UMPC out for a test run and they conclude that it's a "valiant first effort from HTC." They applaud the web surfing experience offered by the Shift, saying that it is better than the OQO model 02 and the Samsung Q1 Ultra. Unfortunately, the keyboard isn't the best and the "somewhat sluggish CPU sometimes has a hard time keeping up with Vista, especially with multiple applications open."

In this way, you may be better off going cheaper (and smaller) with something like the Asus Eee PC or going bigger with something like the Macbook Air or Asus W7S-B1B. The $1500 asking price doesn't help either.

Import Contacts to iPhone From SIM Card

After you've managed to get through the unlocking and jailbreaking process for the iPhone, it seems like everything is great until you hit up the contact list and notice that it is empty! There has to be a way to import your contacts from a SIM card, right? Well, it's not a first-party solution, but the iPhone is perfectly capable of reading contacts on a SIM card.

The third-party application is called SIMport and, as you can probably imagine, it ports all the contacts from your SIM card over to the iPhone. The process takes just three simple steps -- outlined here -- and then you'll be calling and texting in no time. Best of all, SIMport is free.

An alternative is a program called iSIM. The trial version of iSIM only ports one contact at a time and you need to pay for the upgrade to do more. Pay?! Perish the thought.

Mobile Microscope Powered By Your Cell Phone

Sometimes it's just not possible to bring a sample into the lab for investigating, so what is a researcher to do when they want to take a nice close look at something? Some researchers from Berkeley have created a rather interest contraption that connects to just about any cell phone, offering up to 60x magnification. That's right, it's a high-powered mobile microscope.

They have developed two microscopes for this purpose and the 60x one is the stronger of the two. The idea is that these add-ons can capture the detail of cancerous cells, malaria parasites, and other microscopic things that would not otherwise be visible to the naked eye. Perhaps the best application is for doctors making house calls in remote areas. The images captured by the smartphone can then be emailed directly to the lab for immediate analysis.

This, of course, assuming that the camera on your phone is of a reasonable resolution to begin with. Even so, the LED-self-illuminating module costs a reasonable $75 to build using off-the-shelf parts. Good work, docs. Good work. Initial test are scheduled for this summer in Uganda.

Latest Alltel Phone Isn't That A-Muse-Ing

It certainly won't win any innovation awards, but the Samsung Muse does everything it needs to do and it seems to do it well. That's good news for Alltel Wireless customers who want a decent music phone without having to break the bank in the process.

Featuring a classic slim clamshell design, the Samsung Muse comes with dedicated touch-sensitive music controls underneath the outer display and these controls are almost hidden under the wonderfully glossy finish. I hope that these light up when in use. If MP3-listening isn't your thing, the Muse also has a free trial of 20 XM Radio stations.

Other highlights include a 2 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, microSD slot, GPS-capable with Axcess Mobile Guide preloaded, and high-speed EVDO. Pick one up for $90 when you sign a two-year service agreement.

Motorola MOTOMING2 A1600 Not Launched

We already know that Chinese manufacturers have a habit of creating product clones, releasing MP4 players that bear a striking resemblance to the iPod or iPhone. Interestingly, although the Motorola A1600 -- known as the MOTOMING2 -- has not officially launched, it seems like the prototype has already gone on sale in China. It's like having a "real" knockoff before the official product even becomes available.

From what we can gather, the second-generation MOTOMING is very much like its predecessor. You get quad-band GSM/GPRS connectivity with no mention of 3G to speak of. Thankfully, the MOTOMING2 does appear to have Wi-Fi for when you want a speedier data connection. Running on a Linux OS, the Motorola A1600 gets a "faster" processor, 3.2 megapixel camera, aGPS receiver, talking dictionary, and three pre-loaded games.

Measuring a mere 17.5mm in thickness, the Motorola MOTOMING2 A1600 does not yet have an official price point.

Gets Ready to Nab Nokia N78 Smartphone Candybar

My brother is the proud owner of a Nokia N73 and he loves all that Symbian-powered goodness. After he takes a gander at the Nokia N78, however, he may be inclined to do the upgrade. For other people interested in the Nokia N78, there could be some good news coming down the pipeline because AT&T could be adding the Symbian smartphone to their lineup.

The Nokia N78 has a beautiful piano black finish, but that's not the main reason why you'd want this phone. It's because it's got US-friendly 3G bands and this is a strong indicator that Nokia wants AT&T to have it. The user manual for the N78 also seems to point in this direction. With the N95 also rumored to be AT&T-bound, the iPhone could be in for some competition from its stablemates.

Other features on the his slick candybar include a 3.2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, aGPS, and FM radio.

Das iPhone Arrives in Austria and Ireland

And Apple is further extending its reach with the multi-touch enabled cell phone. The Apple iPhone is now available in Austria through T-Mobile and in Ireland via the O2 network. The popular cell phone has already been available in the United States for some time now and it has also launched in several European countries like France and Germany.

It was only a matter of time before "das iPhone" showed up in Austria and the luck of the Irish brought the iPhone over to Ireland as well. The pricing, unfortunately, is a fair bit higher than what Americans are paying for the exact same handset. The 8GB model sells for 399 Euro, whereas the 16GB version goes for 499 Euro. That works out to about US$777 for the 16-gigger.

To make matters even more expensive, the Austrian version of the iPhone cannot be loaded with unlimited data. The best plan is 39 Euro a month and it gets you 3GB of data, 1000 minutes, and free WiFi. You can step that up to 55 Euro to get the same 3 gigs, 3000 minutes, and 1000 text messages.

Verizon Launches Motorola Z6cx World Edition Phone

When you sign up with a GSM provider, you get a phone with a magical SIM card slot. Assuming that you can unlock your phone, all it takes to use your phone with an international provider is to swap out the SIM card. The process is nowhere near as easy with CDMA providers like Telus and Sprint.

Verizon Wireless is promoting worldly travel with the recent announcement of the Motorola Z6cx World Edition Phone. It's basically the the same as the Motorola Z6c which is also available through Verizon, except that the Z6cx has a SIM card slot for when you're traveling abroad. As you can expect, the only GSM bands supported are the non-American ones.

The trade-off for this worldly capability, unfortunately, is that you lose the 2 megapixel camera. So, you've got to ask yourself, what's more important? Taking pictures or seeing the world?

Gartner Grants iPhone "Appliance-Level" Status for Business Types

And Apple has scored itself another coup. When the iPhone was first released last year, many corporate types said that it would not be appropriate for business. Even NASA said it was no good. Around this time, Gartner too said that the iPhone wasn't business worthy, but now the company is singing a different tune. This is largely because of the upcoming enterprise-friendly iPhone 2.0 update. Go SDK, go?

Gartner is a company that many firms trust for budget spending recommendations, and what mobile phones they hand out to their employees is a significant piece of advice. Directing this information at IT buyers, Gartner has granted the iPhone what they call "appliance-level" status. This means that the the iPhone is a-okay for "PIM, e-mail, telephony and browsing applications."

Part of the reason why corporate America was hesitant to adopt the iPhone was because it didn't really stack up against the BlackBerry, Windows Mobile, and Symbian S60 smartphones of the world. With this endorsement, now it does.

Sony Ericsson S500i Copper Mobile Phone

The Sony Ericsson S500i Copper is a slim, stylish fun phone with lots of exciting features. This slide camera phone has a 2 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom. It is also a media player for music and video, and can be listened to wirelessly using bluetooth connectivity. The Sony Ericsson S500i Copper is a Quad Band phone with a battery powerful enough to allow 9 hours of talk time or up to 370 hours on standby. It comes with 12 MB memory which can be expanded up to 2 GB by using a memory stick.

LG KE850 Prada Silver Mobile Phone

Super sexy design combined with high-end technology, the Prada phone from LG offers both style and performance for the fashion conscious. It has full touch-screen control with a wide LCD screen and an integrated 2 mega-pixel digital camera with auto-focus, video capture and flash. You can enjoy all your favourite tunes on the MP3 player and connect wirelessly to your PC or accessories with Bluetooth.

Samsung G600 Mobile Phone

The Samsung G600 is a slim and sleek slider phone. This mobile phone has a 2.2 inch 240x320 pixel colour screen with 16 million colours. It has a 5 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, LED Flask and White balance. The Samsung G600 has a music player with stereo FM radio and bluetooth for wireless connectivity. It is a Quad band phone with GPRS and EDGE.